Air jet for removing polluting oil

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an air jet for removing pollutant oil, and more particularly to an air jet capable of removing oil deposited on a small mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil in a coastal or inland area by injecting compressed air to float the oil on the water surface together with gas discharge. The air jet comprises: a hollow cylindrical air pipe open at both ends, the air pipe serving as a channel through which injected compressed air moves; a communication pipe having a diameter smaller than that of the air pipe and penetrating the air pipe to communicate the inside and outside of the air pipe, the outside of the air pipe being connected with an air hose for supplying compressed air; and an injection nozzle coupled with the communication pipe in the air pipe, the injection nozzle serving to accelerate compressed air supplied to the communication pipe and to rapidly inject the compressed air through the air pipe to an area polluted with oil.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an air jet for removing pollutant oil,and more particularly to an air jet capable of removing oil deposited ona small mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil in a coastal or inland areaby injecting compressed air to float the oil on the water surfacetogether with gas discharge.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, the sinking of a ship in the sea or oil spilled from theship damages not only the marine ecosystem but also the mud flat ornatural ecosystem of the coast adjacent to the area in which the oilspill occurred.

This oil spill has a significant problem that pollutes the seawateritself, and in addition, the spilled oil spreads to the coast by a tideto pollute the coast. Particularly, at low tide, the spilled oil remainson the tidal flat, and as a result, it pollutes the areas surroundingthe coast and causes a serious problem leading to natural disasters.

In the case of an oil spill as described above, the area and amount ofdamage varies depending on the initial response to the oil spill, but inthe case of an oil spill on the sea, an operation for preventing the oilfloating on the sea from spreading is mainly carried out, and the oilentering the coast is left to a defenseless state, thus causing a greatdeal of damage.

However, in the prior art, there was no equipment either for effectivelyseparating and removing oil, which entered the coast after theabove-described oil spill and deposited on the mud flat or sand on thecoast, or for effectively separating and removing only the oil. Thus, agreat deal of time, labor and cost were required to remove the oil.

Also, in the process of removing the deposited oil in the areassurrounding the coast as described above, the oil that penetrated intothe sand or mud flat of the areas is more difficult to remove, and thusit gradually penetrates deeper and leads to a more serious naturaldisaster, so that it remains as a natural disaster over several tens ofyears.

Meanwhile, in the case of the oil spill in Taean (the west coast ofKorea) in December, 2007, many marine spill response companiesparticipated in removing the spilled oil, but most of the companiesmainly used water pumps and high-pressure pumps to clean up the oilspill. Also, these companies had no experience in removing oil enteringthe coast, and they attempted to remove the oil deposited on the mudflat or sand using water pumps or high-pressure pumps. However, theamount of oil floating on the water surface was small, and in mostcases, the floated oil precipitated again due to its properties.

Namely, in the initial stage of oil spill, low-boiling-point fractionssuch as methane, ethane, propane and butane first evaporate from thespilled oil.

Then, the remaining oil fractions float on the seawater surface andpollute the surrounding environment, and the highly volatile light oilfractions gradually evaporate to the atmosphere, so that the specificgravity of the oil on the seawater surface gradually increases.

Moreover, heavy oil fractions such as Bunker-C oil and asphalt, whichhave a specific gravity higher than that of water, gradually precipitatefrom water or are deposited on sand, mud flats or sedimentary soil, andthus are difficult to remove naturally. In addition, the deposited oilreleases toxic substances over a long period of time to cause anenvironmental pollution. However, there has not yet been a systemcapable of effectively removing the above-described deposited oil.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in order to solve theabove-described problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an objectof the present invention to provide an air jet for removing pollutantoil, in which the air jet has a compressed air-injection nozzle providedin an air pipe, whereby it can environmentally friendly remove oildeposited on a small mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil in an inland orcoastal area, can shorten the number of working days, and can reduce thecost for removing the oil.

Technical Solution

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an air jetfor removing pollutant air, comprising:

a hollow cylindrical air pipe open at both ends, the air pipe serving asa channel through which injected compressed air moves;

a communication pipe having a diameter smaller than that of the air pipeand penetrating the air pipe to communicate the inside and outside ofthe air pipe, the outside of the air pipe being connected with an airhose for supplying compressed air; and

an injection nozzle coupled with the communication pipe inside the airpipe, the injection nozzle serving to accelerate compressed air suppliedto the communication pipe and to rapidly inject the compressed airthrough the air pipe to an area polluted with oil.

Advantageous Effects

The air jet for removing pollutant oil according to the presentinvention can environmentally friendly remove oil deposited on a smallmud flat, sand or sedimentary soil in an inland or coastal area, canshorten the number of working days, and can reduce the cost for removingthe oil.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air jet according to a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the air jet shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an air jet according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the air jet shown in FIG. 1 is used.

FIG. 5 is a photograph showing removing oil using the air jet of thepresent invention.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, the construction and operation of the present inventionwill be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air jet according to a firstembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows the internalstructure of the air jet shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, an air jet 10 comprises an air pipe 11, acommunication pipe 12 and an injection nozzle 13.

Herein, the communication pipe has a diameter smaller than that of theair pipe.

The air pipe 11 through which injected compressed air moves has a hollowspace 17 therein and is cylindrical in shape and open at both ends.

The communication pipe 12 perpendicularly penetrates the air pipe 11 tocommunicate the inside and outside of the air pipe.

The communication pipe consists of a penetration pipe 14 perpendicularlypenetrating the air pipe 11, a discharge pipe 15 connected with thepenetration pipe 14 inside the air pipe 11, and an injection pipe 16connected with the penetration pipe 14 outside the air pipe 11.

The injection pipe 16 is connected with an air hose for supplyingcompressed air, and an injection nozzle 13 is coupled to the dischargetube 15. In operation, after compressed air has been applied to theinjection pipe 16, it is accelerated through the injection nozzle 13 andinjected rapidly to the inside of the air pipe 11.

The air injected rapidly by the injection nozzle 13 moves fast along thespace 17 of the air pipe 11 and is strongly injected through both openends of the air pipe 11 to a small mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil ina coastal or inland area.

If the injection direction of the injection nozzle 13 is directed towardone or both open ends of the air pipe 11, the compressed air can beinjected directly to a small mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil at ahigh pressure.

By such a high injection pressure of compressed air, water or sand orsoil will rise, so that the oil deposited on the mud flat, sand orsedimentary soil will float on the water surface by the interactionbetween water, the compressed air and sand or soil (sedimentary soil)while gas will be separated therefrom.

The oil floating on the water surface may be adsorbed with an adsorbentand collected in a collection vessel.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an air jet according to a secondembodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, an air jet 20 comprises air pipes 21 a and 21 b, acommunication pipe 22, injection nozzles 23 a and 23 b and a couplingmember 28.

Herein, the air pipes have a diameter smaller than that of thecommunication pipes.

The air pipes have the respective hollow spaces 27 a and 27 b and arecylindrical in shape and open at both ends.

The air pipes 21 a and 21 b are fixedly coupled to each other inparallel by the coupling member 28.

The communication pipe 22 perpendicularly penetrates the air pipes 21 aand 21 b to communicate the inside and outside of each of the air pipes21 a and 21 b.

The communication pipe 22 consists of: penetration pipes 24 a and 24 b,which perpendicularly penetrate the air pipes 21 a and 21 b,respectively; discharge pipes 24 a and 24 b, which are connected withthe penetration pipes 24 a and 24 b inside the air pipes 21 a and 21 b,respectively; and a T-shaped manifold 29 which connects the penetrationpipes 24 a and 24 b outside the air pipes 21 a and 21 b with aninjection pipe 26.

The injection pipe 26 is connected to an air hose for supplyingcompressed air, and injection nozzles 23 a and 23 b are connected to thedischarge pipes 25 a and 25 b. In operation, compressed air is suppliedto the injection pipe 26, passed through the manifold 29, and thenaccelerated through each of the injection nozzles 23 a and 23 b, and theaccelerated compressed nozzle is injected rapidly into the inside of theair pipes 21 a and 21 b.

The air injected rapidly by the injection nozzles 23 a and 23 b movesalong the spaces 27 a and 27 b of the air pipes 21 a and 21 b and isstrongly injected through both ends of the air pipes to a mud flat, sandor sedimentary soil in a coastal or inland area.

If the injection direction of the injection nozzles 23 a and 23 b isdirected toward one or both open ends of the air pipes 21 a and 21 b,the compressed air can be injected directly on a mud flat, sand orsedimentary soil at a high pressure.

By such a high injection pressure of compressed air, water or sand orsoil will rise, so that the oil deposited on the mud flat, sand orsedimentary soil will float on the water surface by the interactionbetween water, the compressed air and sand or soil (sedimentary soil)while gas will be separated therefrom.

The oil floating on the water surface may be adsorbed with an adsorbentand collected in a collection vessel.

According to the above-described second embodiment, compressed air canbe injected to a mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil in an area largerthan the first embodiment, and thus the time required for removal of oilcan be reduced.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the air jet shown in FIG. 1 is used.

As shown therein, an air compressor 30 for generating and supplyingcompressed air is connected by an air hose 60 to a pressure control tank40 for controlling the pressure of air supplied from the air compressor30.

The pressure-increasing tank 40 comprises a setting valve 44 forcontrolling pressure, a pressure meter 42, and a plurality of supplyvalves 46 for supplying compressed air to the air jet 10. The supplyvalves 46 are connected by the air hose 60 to the communication pipe 12of the air jet 10.

Compressed air whose pressure has been controlled to a suitable pressureby the setting valve 44 of the pressure control tank 40 is supplied tothe communication pipe 12 by the air hose 60.

The compressed air is injected through the injection nozzle 13, and thenmoves fast along the inside of the air pipe 11 and is strongly injectedto an area polluted with oil.

By the jetting of the compressed air, water and sand or soil rise, andthe oil deposited on the mud flat, sand or sedimentary soil floats onthe water surface by the interaction between water, the compressed airand sand or soil (sedimentary soil) while gas is separated and injectedtherefrom.

More specifically, oil contains carbon (84-87%) and hydrogen (11-14%) asmain components and also contains small amounts of sulfur, nitrogen andoxygen. It is a liquid having a peculiar odor and is a complexhydrocarbon compound.

The oil contains methane (CH₄) and ethane (C₂H₆) in the uppermost layer,propane (C₃H₈) and (C₄H₁₀) in the middle layer, and kerosene, bunker-Coil and asphalt (residual oil) in the lowest layer in that orderaccording to specific gravity.

Meanwhile, bubbles produced in liquid have a kind of energy and removecontaminants from the laundry using kinetic energy caused by, forexample, the production and separation of air bubbles.

When an oil spill occurs, low-specific-gravity components such asmethane, ethane, propane and butane evaporate into the atmosphereimmediately after the oil spill, but light oil fractions, such askerosene and gasoline, and heavy oil fractions, such as bunker-C oil andasphalts (residual oil), float on the seawater surface or are settled tothe bottom of the sea. The carbon-hydrogen bond of the oil floating onthe seawater surface or settled to the bottom is broken by the energy ofcompressed air, while the oil is degassed. The degassed oil floats onthe seawater surface.

At the same time as floating of the oil fractions, microorganisms oroil-eating superbacteria (it is known that about 20 kinds of suchbacteria live in Korea, and among them, about 10 kinds live in theYellow Sea) also float from the bottom of the sea and are highlyactivated. The floated microorganisms and superbacteria facilitate thecleanup of the oil spill and the recovery of the ecosystem.

Next, the oil floating on the water surface may be adsorbed with, forexample, an adsorbent, and collected in a collection vessel.

FIG. 5 is a photograph showing removing oil using the air jet of thepresent invention. As shown therein, the air jet is introduced intowater in an area polluted with oil, and compressed air is supplied tothe air jet and jetted from the air jet.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, by the jetting of compressed air, oil floatson the water surface while gas is discharged.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. An air jet for removing pollutant air, comprising: a hollowcylindrical air pipe open at both ends, the air pipe serving as achannel through which injected compressed air moves; a communicationpipe having a diameter smaller than that of the air pipe and penetratingthe air pipe to communicate the inside and outside of the air pipe, theoutside of the air pipe being connected with an air hose for supplyingcompressed air; and an injection nozzle coupled with the communicationpipe inside the air pipe, the injection nozzle serving to acceleratecompressed air supplied to the communication pipe and to rapidly injectthe compressed air through the air pipe to an area polluted with oil. 2.An air jet for removing pollutant air, comprising: a plurality of hollowcylindrical air pipes which are open at both ends and arranged inparallel, the air pipes serving as channels through which injectedcompressed air moves; a coupling member serving to fixedly couple theair pipes to each other; a communication pipe having a diameter smallerthan that of the air pipes and penetrating the air pipes to communicatethe inside and outside of the air pipes, the outside of the air pipesbeing connected with an air hose for supplying compressed air; and aplurality of injection nozzles coupled to the communication pipe insidethe air pipes, the injection nozzles serving to accelerate compressedair supplied to the communication pipes and to rapidly inject thecompressed air through the air pipes to an area polluted with oil. 3.The air jet of claim 2, wherein the communication pipe consists of: aplurality of penetration pipes penetrating the respective air pipes; aplurality of discharge pipes which are connected to the respectivepenetration pipes inside the air pipes and to which the injectionnozzles are coupled; and a manifold which connects the penetration pipesoutside the air pipes with an injection pipe connected to the air hose.4. The air jet of claim 1, wherein the injection direction of theinjection nozzle is directed toward one or both open ends of the airpipe.
 5. The air jet of claim 2, wherein the injection direction of theinjection nozzle is directed toward one or both open ends of the airpipe.